Portable trouble signal



June 30, 1964 P. N. FLEMING PORTABLE TROUBLE SIGNAL Filed Feb. 12, 1962 INVENTOR Poul Nelson Fleming BY W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,139,611 PDRTABLE TROUBLE SIGNAL Paul Nelson Fleming, 8627 Feuton St, Silver Spring, Md. Filed Feb. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,725 3 Claims. (Cl. 340-321) This invention relates to a battery illuminated portable trouble signal.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a battery illuminated portable trouble signal which is adapted to be readily and removably mounted on an automobile by the motorist to indicate to oncoming traflic that he is in trouble.

Another object is the provision of a signal having a plurality of arcuate sections with appropriate signalling indicia thereon which may be selectively moved to display the desired information.

A further object is to provide a signal embodying a plurality of arcuate sections rotatable into exposed display positions, wherein the sections are supported by a bracket carried by a battery operated flashlight.

Still another object is the provision of a signalling device wherein the flashlight bracket supporting the rotatable sections is in the form of a permanent magnet so that the entire unit may be easily and removably mounted at any desired location on a parked automobile.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent by considering the following specification with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the assembled signal unit and portable battery flash light, with the indicia on one of the sections exposed;

FlGURE 2 is a side elevation of the assembled unit; and

FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 6 show other sections removed from the unit and having differing display indicia thereon.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, numeral 1 refers to a conventional cylindrical portable flash light having the usual light and batteries therein and not shown. The usual sliding switch 2 is provided on the casing to operate the light in the customary manner. Suitably arranged on the side of the flash light casing 1, preferably opposite to switch 2, is a metal bracket 3 containing a suitable permanent magnet 4, shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2. The

bracket 3 may be attached or secured to the casing 1 by soldering or conventional screw or bolt devices, not shown, and preferably includes a substantially flat rear face 3 which is adaptable to engage any desired flat metal surface and be magnetically attracted thereto in an obvious manner.

A signed or display unit 6 is supported on the upper face 7 of the bracket 3 and projects vertically therefrom. Thus, a circular disc 8 is rigidly and suitably attached at its lower edge to the upper face 7 of bracket 3 adjacent its rear edge, as best shown in FIGURE 2, and extends transversely thereof. A headed pivot pin 9 projects through the center of .disc 8 and a series of semi-circular plates it are mounted on the pin 9 for rotational movement relative thereof. The threaded forward end of pin 9 extends through a semi-circular plate 11, which is rigidly secured to the upper face 7 of bracket 3 adjacent its point of juncture with the casing 1, and is provided with 3,139,611 Patented June 30, 1964 the usual lock nut and washer 12. Thus, the fixed plates 8 and 11 enclose the semi-circular plates 10 pivotally mounted on the pin 9 projecting thereof, and that the straight edges 13 of plates 10 normally are in the FIG- URE 2 uppermost position along with straight edge 13 of fixed plate 11.

Suitably arranged on and projecting laterally from each of the peripheral edges of movable plates 10 is a tab 14 having suitable indicia thereon corresponding to that on the respective plates 10, with the tabs being staggered for ease of viewing and to facilitate their being grasped and moved to move the plates into exposed position above and relative to fixed plate 11. While various combinations of letters and words may be displayed on the various plates, it is proposed to suitably place the word TIRES on the front exposed face of fixed circular disc 8, with the words GAS, MOTOR, SLEEP, and HELP being so impressed on the successive movable plates 16 of FIGURES 3 to 5 that they will be readable when the respective plates 10 are rotated clockwise, viewing FIGURE 1, relative to disc 8. The letters G, M, S, and H are also impressed on the tabs 14, for the purpose previously described.

As the plates 10 are snugly rested between the fixed disc 8 and plate 11, it will be understood that plates frictionally engage each other and will be retained in exposed inverted position when so moved thereto. When the motorist encounters difficulty, for example, the trouble, the device may be quickly removed from its place of storage, such as, the glove compartment, and the magnetic bracket 3 placed against the outside of the automobile so as to magnetically attach thereto with the word TIRES exposed. This will obviously attract attention and assistance. When other forms of trouble are encountered, the desired plate 10 may be rotated to exposed inverted position, as heretofore described. It will, of course, be apparent that when the switch 2 is actuated, the flashlight will cast a ray of light upwardly relative to the plates and illuminate the one exposed.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various revisions and improvements may be made therein with out departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A portable sign for use with automobiles including a battery powered flashlight tubular container, switch means thereon, a bracket arranged on said container intermediate the ends thereof, a permanent magnet means associated with said bracket and positioned for engagement with a paramagnetic body so as to support said sign on said body in vertical disposition, a circular plate fixedly secured to said bracket and projecting vertically therefrom, a semi-circular plate spaced parallel from said circular plate and fixedly secured to said bracket, a series of semi-circular parallel plates nested between said fixed plates and adapted to be rotated relative thereto, said circular and movable semi-circular plates having indicia thereon exposable upon rotation thereof.

2. In the structure according to claim 1, wherein said movable semi-circular plates have tabs projecting therefrom, said tabs having indicia thereon corresponding to the indicia on said plates whereby selection and rotation thereof will be facilitated.

3. A portable sign comprising a substantially rectangular base member, a permanent magnet arranged in said base and positioned for engagement with a paramagnetic body so as to support said sign on said body in vertical disposition, a circular plate fixedly secured to said base and projecting vertically therefrom, a semi-circular plate spaced parallel from said circular plate and fixedly secured to said base, a series of semi-circular parallel plates nested between and rotatably mounted relative to said fixed plates, said circular and movable semi-circular plates having indicia thereon exposable upon rotation of said 10 4 movable plates, and said movable semi-circular plates having tabs projecting therefrom, said tabs having indicia thereon corresponding to the indicia on said plates whereby selection and rotation thereof will be facilitated.

Tunks June 3, 1919 Cohen Sept. 6, 1927 

1. A PORTABLE SIGN FOR USE WITH AUTOMOBILES INCLUDING A BATTERY POWERED FLASHLIGHT TUBULAR CONTAINER, SWITCH MEANS THEREON, A BRACKET ARRANGED ON SAID CONTAINER INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, A PERMANENT MAGNET MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BRACKET AND POSITIONED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A PARAMAGNETIC BODY SO AS TO SUPPORT SAID SIGN ON SAID BODY IN VERTICAL DISPOSITION, A CIRCULAR PLATE FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID BRACKET AND PROJECTING VERTICALLY THEREFROM, A SEMI-CIRCULAR PLATE SPACED PARALLEL FROM SAID CIRCULAR PLATE AND FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID BRACKET, A SERIES OF SEMI-CIRCULAR PARALLEL PLATES NESTED BETWEEN SAID FIXED PLATES AND ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED RELATIVE THERETO, SAID CIRCULAR AND MOVABLE SEMI-CIRCULAR PLATES HAVING INDICIA THEREON EXPOSABLE UPON ROTATION THEREOF. 